Does AI-augmented awareness influence employee creativity and quiet quitting behavior?

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in service work, employees are becoming more aware of its potential to augment their work. Anchored in the approach–avoidance framework and conservation of resources theory, this study establishes a dual path model to examine the relationship between AI-augmented awareness and employee work-related creativity and quiet quitting. Using two-wave data from service industry employees in Pakistan (N = 452), the model was tested in Mplus. Results showed that AI-augmented awareness is positively related to AI-related approach motivation and negatively related to AI-related avoidance motivation. AI-related approach motivation mediated the positive relationship between AI-augmented awareness and employee creativity. Conversely, AI-related avoidance motivation mediated the negative relationship between AI-augmented awareness and quiet quitting. AI-supported autonomy moderated both motivational pathways, although one conditional indirect effect on quiet quitting was significant. These findings provide valuable theoretical and practical insights within the service industry context.